1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printer with a number of print control programs having different command systems and, particularly, to a printer in which a selection range for the print programs adapted to print processing is set to all of the print control programs, yet can be limited to a part of the print control programs.
2. Description of Related Art
In companies, personal computers or work stations have been recently introduced in association with the development of office automation. At the same time, these computers are connected to high-speed printers, such as laser printers, dot printers or the like, through the same cable used to configure a network system in which desired print data stored in the computers are transmitted to enable print processing using a desired printer.
For each printer, a number of print control programs having different command systems for print control are installed into a control device of the printer. On the basis of transmitted print data, a print control program adapted to the print processing can be selectively and manually set from the print control programs using an operation panel or automatically set by an automatic selection mode.
When the automatic selection mode is set, all of the print control programs installed into the control device are set as a selection target. A print control program having a control code coincident with a print control code contained the print data is finally determined as a print control program adapted to the print processing. So, the print data is subjected to the print processing using the suitable print control program thus determined.
In general, a large number of print control programs, such as a print control program of a command system that is optimally designed for document data, a print control program of a command system for a plotter used in a CAD field, and a print control program of a command system used for a print operation of a complicated image (picture), are practically used as the print control programs. Some of these print control programs are very similar to one another in the kind of print data and its field.
As described above, in the automatic selection mode for automatically selecting the print control program, all of the print control programs installed into the control device are set as the selection target. Therefore, very similar print control programs may be simultaneously installed in the different print control programs. In this case, a print control program that is similar to an originally suitable print control program can be erroneously automatically selected according to the number or kind of print control codes contained in the print data.